Agrippina the Younger (15–59 AD), also known as Julia Agrippina, was a prominent and highly influential figure in the Julio-Claudian dynasty of ancient Rome. She is best known for being the mother of Emperor Nero, the sister of Emperor Caligula, and the wife of Emperor Claudius.
Early Life
Agrippina was born on November 6, 15 AD, in Oppidum Ubiorum, a settlement in what is now Germany. Her parents were Germanicus, nephew to the reigning Emperor Tiberius, and Agrippina the Elder, daughter of Marcus Agrippa and Julia (daughter of Emperor Augustus). Agrippina had eight siblings, though only five survived infancy, including her younger brother, the future Emperor Caligula.
While her parents were stationed in the provinces, Agrippina spent her early years in Rome. After Germanicus’s death in 19 AD, Agrippina the Elder began championing her family’s rights, a stance that, while initially bothersome to Tiberius, soon drew the attention of Sejanus, the Praetorian Guard prefect. Recognising her influence as a threat to his own power, he encouraged Tiberius to order the exile and imprisonment of Agrippina the Elder and her two eldest sons, who all died by 33 AD.
Agrippina, still a young woman and not seen as a threat, remained in Rome. In 28 AD, she married Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus, a member of a prestigious consular family with close ties to Augustus through his mother, Antonia the Elder. This made the newlyweds cousins, as Agrippina’s own grandmother, Antonia the Younger, was the sister of Domitius’ mother.
Caligula's Reign
In Tiberius’ final years, following the execution of Sejanus for treason, he adopted Gaius, the youngest son of Germanicus, known as Caligula. When the emperor died in 37 AD, Caligula ascended the throne, and that same year, Agrippina the Younger gave birth to her only child, Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, later known as Emperor Nero.
As emperor, Caligula granted his sisters, Drusilla, Livilla, and Agrippina, unprecedented honours. Their names were included in official oaths, and they held the unusual privilege of sitting beside the emperor during public games. This close bond with his sisters is also depicted in Caligula’s early coinage, where the three women appear on the reverse side.
Drusilla’s death in 38 AD changed the political dynamics. Her husband, Lepidus, favoured as Caligula’s potential successor, conspired with the remaining sisters, Agrippina and Livilla, in a plot against the emperor. Caligula’s increasingly erratic and confrontational behaviour had alienated the Senate, and Agrippina and Livilla saw Lepidus as a potential ally and protector. The conspiracy, however, was quickly uncovered. Lepidus was executed, and Agrippina and Livilla were accused of adultery and sent into exile.
Claudius' Reign
Caligula was assassinated in early 41 AD, and his successor and uncle, Claudius, recalled Agrippina and Livilla from exile. While Livilla was executed a few years later—possibly due to the influence of Claudius’ wife, Messalina—Agrippina sought a new husband. She made advances toward the future emperor Galba, but he was already married and rejected her. Ultimately, she married Passienus Crispus, who was a descendant of the historian Sallust. However, he died in 47 AD, and Agrippina inherited his considerable wealth. It has been implied that Agrippina may have poisoned him, but there is no concrete evidence to support this claim.
After Messalina’s execution a year later, Claudius initially stated he did not intend to remarry. Nevertheless, Pallas, one of his influential freedmen, persuaded him to marry Agrippina, despite their close familial ties, and the Roman Senate passed a special law to legitimise this marriage. Claudius ultimately adopted Agrippina’s son, who received the name Nero Claudius Caesar Drusus Germanicus, commonly known as Nero. The connection between Claudius and Agrippina was further solidified by Nero’s marriage to Octavia, Claudius’s daughter with Messalina. As Agrippina became more prominent during Claudius’ reign, she was granted the title of Augusta and became one of Claudius’ most trusted advisors. Tacitus describes her tyrannical behaviour, which resulted in the deaths of several individuals connected to Nero, including Domitia Lepida, who had cared for him during Agrippina’s exile.
Death
Claudius died at the age of 63 in 54 AD. Historians Tacitus, Cassius Dio, and Suetonius suggest that Agrippina poisoned him, as the emperor had begun to reconsider the positions of Britannicus and Nero. However, this claim cannot be definitively proven.
Nero ascended to the throne without any opposition, as Claudius had been deeply unpopular with the Senate. This led to the perception that Nero’s rise marked the beginning of a new, golden age for Rome. As the mother of the new emperor, Agrippina’s prominence grew significantly; she even began to appear on the obverse of certain coins alongside Nero. The level of power and influence she wielded was unprecedented for a woman in Rome, but this situation was about to change.
Initially, Nero harboured little affection for Octavia, preferring his freedwoman Claudia Acte instead, a situation that was unacceptable to Agrippina, who viewed the marriage as vital for her son’s legitimacy. Meanwhile, Seneca and Burrus began undermining Agrippina’s influence for their own benefit, further isolating her. Despite this, Agrippina sought to maintain her power. Throughout this tumultuous period, her image continued to appear on coins until at least 57 AD. As Agrippina’s power waned, she attempted to align herself with Britannicus, Nero’s half-brother, but he died in 55 AD, possibly poisoned by Nero. Shortly thereafter, she was removed from court.
Even after her departure, Agrippina maintained a degree of influence through her familial connections. Nero had valid reasons to fear her, particularly because she could have married one of his rivals, Rubellius Plautus, which could have sparked a civil war. To eliminate this potential threat, Nero resolved to commit matricide. In 59 AD, he purportedly informed his mother that he wanted to reconcile with her during the Quinquatriae festival. However, as Agrippina was returning to her villa, her boat sank in what was likely a premeditated accident. Although she managed to save herself, Nero sent his fleet commander to ensure her death.
That night, her body was cremated on a dining couch. As news of Agrippina’s death spread, letters of congratulations poured in from the Roman army, the Senate, and various citizens, expressing relief that Nero had been spared from her schemes. In the aftermath, Agrippina’s grave remained unmarked and exposed throughout the rest of Nero’s reign. The emperor carried the weight of his mother’s death on his conscience, feeling such intense guilt that he experienced nightmares about her and sought the aid of Persian magicians to ask for her forgiveness.
